


Shards

by Marmeladeskies



Series: All For The Game Prompt Fills From My Tumblr [21]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attack, TW: Blood, mental health
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 12:51:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18235151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marmeladeskies/pseuds/Marmeladeskies
Summary: Andrew has a panic attack.





	Shards

Bee says it’s a panic attack.

Neil wouldn’t have thought of that, because his own panic attacks are so different to Andrew’s. Neil closes up, his chest gets all tight when it happens, until he can’t breathe anymore and his heart beats into his throat and the blood rushes through his ears. He used to run when it happened, until Andrew caught him and didn’t let go anymore. Now he just turns into a ball and stops moving until it’s over.

Andrew, however, does none of these things. When it’s fight or flight, Andrew Minyard always fights, of course, because that’s how things are for him, have always been.

So now Andrew sits between shards of glass and ceramic which used to be their kitchen supplies and Neil sits two feet away from him. There is a shard digging into his thigh, through his jeans, but he ignores it. Andrew’s hands are bleeding, his eyes are unfocused, like a deer’s running from the headlights. His breath is slowing down, at least. Neil doesn’t say anything, he’s just there, sitting with his legs crossed.

Minutes pass and turn into an hour, and Andrew’s breath slows, his face becomes less pale, his eyes start to focus again and eventually, he wipes his bloody hands on his sweatpants.

“Fuck.”, is the first thing that comes out of his mouth and when he looks at Neil, properly looks at him, Neil can see the conceiled pain in his eyes.

“Can I come closer? Yes or no?”, he asks quietly.

Andrew breathes, once, twice, then nods. “…yes.”

Neil slowly shuffles closer to Andrew, across the floor, until he sits opposite of him, their knees not quite touching.

“There was something on the tv.”, Andrew provides an explanation, quiet, slowly, tired and drained. It’s enough explanation for Neil. He understands.

Andrew’s eyes wander over Neil. “Yes or no?”

“Yes.”, Neil replies and holds still.

Andrew reaches out and touches Neil, first his cheek, where he digs the pad of his thumb into Neil’s scarred cheek, then his neck, hand sliding down over the skin until it meets the neckline of his shirt; Neil’s shoulder, where Andrew’s fingertips dig in. When they reach Neil’s thigh, Andrew halts.

“You’re bleeding.”

The shard which dug through Neil’s jeans has sliced his skin open, not badly, but enough that a little bit of blood trickles through the denim.

“So are you.”, Neil says. His own hand hovers over Andrew’s.

Andrew looks at his hands and simply says “Oh.” Then he slowly looks up at Neil again. “…I can’t bandage that myself.”

Neil understand the unasked question. “…come on, then.”

They go to the bathroom. Neil’s legs tingle from sitting on the floor for so long, and they’re both dripping red all over the hardwood floor of their appartment.

Andrew sits down on the edge of the tub, and Neil finds bandages, sanitizer and band-aids.

He works in silence, Andrew holds his hands out for him without flinching once. The cuts aren’t deep, but Neil is sure they hurt. He carefully digs out several little shards and drops them into the sink, where the blood washes down the drain.

“Done.” Neil’s voice sounds louder than it is in the confined, white tiled space of their bathroom. He makes a move to step back, but Andrew says “Don’t.” and so Neil freezes in his movement.

“…come back.”

Neil steps forward again, until he is right in front of Andrew. He holds up his hands, careful not to touch Andrew on accident.

Andrew looks up at him for a moment, jaw hard, eyes hard, and then he leans in, until his head is pressed against Neil’s abs.

“You can touch my hair.” His voice is muffled by Neil’s shirt.

Neil needs a second to process this, but then he reaches out and, very gently, runs one hand through Andrew’s hair. It’s thick on top, and cut short on the sides, where the buzz cut tickles Neil’s palms.

Andrew lets out the smallest little sigh, and Neil can feel tension seeping out of him. Slowly… but surely.

Andrew’s breath is warm through Neil’s shirt, his hair is soft, and Neil pets it until his hand feels a little numb.

-

Later, they clean the mess in the kitchen up together, and then order pizza and watch reruns of Brooklyn99.


End file.
